West Des Moines is a city located in Polk County Iowa. West Des Moines has a 2024 population of 73,300. West Des Moines is currently growing at a rate of 1.52% annually and its population has increased by 6.36% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 68,919 in 2020.
The average household income in West Des Moines is $116,857 with a poverty rate of 7.53%. The median age in West Des Moines is 36.2 years: 35.6 years for males, and 36.8 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of West Des Moines was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 56,018 | 81.49% |
| Two or more races | 4,344 | 6.32% |
| Asian | 4,226 | 6.15% |
| Black or African American | 3,016 | 4.39% |
| Other race | 1,077 | 1.57% |
| Native American | 38 | 0.06% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 25 | 0.04% |
White
Two or more races
Asian
Black or African American
Other race
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 31,307 | 2.18 | 58.1 | 41.9 |
| Non Family | 14,593 | 1.25 | 39.3 | 60.7 |
| Married | 12,934 | 3.07 | 81.1 | 18.9 |
| Female | 2,445 | 2.74 | 44 | 56 |
| Male | 1,335 | 2.85 | 67 | 33 |
2.95
Average Family Size
2.18
Average Household Size
58.1%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 1,031 | 2.14% |
| Associates Degree | 4,549 | 9.45% |
| Bachelors Degree | 17,057 | 35.44% |
| Graduate Degree | 8,836 | 18.36% |
| High School Graduate | 8,069 | 16.76% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 628 | 1.3% |
| Some College | 7,962 | 16.54% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 39,194 | 38,517 | 21,493 |
| Asian | 2,756 | 2,575 | 1,847 |
| 2+ Races | 2,427 | 2,328 | 1,309 |
| Hispanic | 2,418 | 1,922 | 821 |
| Black | 2,121 | 1,852 | 774 |
| Other Race | 676 | 470 | 150 |
| Islander | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Native American | 10 | 10 | 7 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among native american people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $69,326 | $73,623 | $63,065 |
| Graduate Degree | $91,264 | $103,417 | $72,198 |
| High School Graduate | $34,796 | $41,159 | $31,042 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $30,948 | $36,968 | $20,329 |
| Overall | $57,431 | $64,233 | $48,531 |
| Some College | $44,687 | $49,468 | $42,612 |
$57,431
Average Earnings
$64,233
Average Male
$48,531
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
86.43% of West Des Moines residents speak only English, while 13.57% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 3.93% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 54,002 | 3,283 | 6.08% |
| Multiple | 4,333 | 656 | 15.14% |
| Hispanic | 3,897 | 498 | 12.78% |
| Black | 2,995 | 460 | 15.36% |
| Asian | 4,226 | 412 | 9.75% |
| Other | 1,077 | 100 | 9.29% |
| Native | 38 | 4 | 10.53% |
7.53%
Overall Poverty Rate
6.8%
Male Poverty Rate
8.27%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in West Des Moines is Black, with 15.36% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in West Des Moines is White, with 6.08% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 1.81%. Among those working part-time, it was 14.93%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 13%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 24.92% |
| High School | 11.92% |
| Some College | 5.91% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 4.06% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 42.24% |
| Male Unemployed | 18.47% |
| Female Employed | 5.88% |
| Male Employed | 4.45% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $114,800 | $149,616 |
| Households | $82,345 | $116,857 |
| Married Families | $142,519 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $60,700 | $77,715 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
47.6%
Overall Marriage Rate
49.7%
Male Marriage Rate
45.6%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
2,991
Number of Veterans
2,725
Male Veterans
266
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Second Gulf War | 879 |
| First Gulf War | 738 |
| Vietnam | 729 |
| Korea | 169 |
| World War II | 132 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 35 to 54 | 774 |
| 75+ | 669 |
| 55 to 64 | 596 |
| 65 to 74 | 596 |
| 18 to 34 | 356 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 2,616 | 5.8% |
| Black | 150 | 6.6% |
| Hispanic | 107 | 3.72% |
| 2+ Races | 88 | 3.06% |
| Asian | 75 | 2.41% |
| Other Race | 37 | 4.89% |
| Islander | 25 | 100% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
3.54%
Veteran Poverty Rate
23.48%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
74.1%
Labor Force Participation
72%
Employment Rate
2.8%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
60.9%
Born in West Des Moines
89.19%
Native Born
10.81%
Foreign Born
5.61%
Non Citizen
5.19%
Naturalized
89.19% of West Des Moines residents were born in the United States, with 60.9% having been born in Iowa. 5.61% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 78,776 | 1,095 | 1.41% |
| 2028 | 77,681 | 1,095 | 1.43% |
| 2027 | 76,586 | 1,096 | 1.45% |
| 2026 | 75,490 | 1,095 | 1.47% |
| 2025 | 74,395 | 1,095 | 1.49% |
| 2024 | 73,300 | 1,095 | 1.52% |
| 2023 | 72,205 | 1,448 | 2.05% |
| 2022 | 70,757 | 840 | 1.2% |
| 2021 | 69,917 | 998 | 1.45% |
| 2020 | 68,919 | 1,008 | 1.48% |
| 2019 | 67,911 | 1,307 | 1.96% |
| 2018 | 66,604 | 1,049 | 1.6% |
| 2017 | 65,555 | 958 | 1.48% |
| 2016 | 64,597 | 1,108 | 1.75% |
| 2015 | 63,489 | 1,662 | 2.69% |
| 2014 | 61,827 | 2,094 | 3.51% |
| 2013 | 59,733 | 1,581 | 2.72% |
| 2012 | 58,152 | 590 | 1.02% |
| 2011 | 57,562 | 699 | 1.23% |
| 2010 | 56,863 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 46,403 | 14,701 | 46.37% |
| 1990 | 31,702 | 9,808 | 44.8% |
| 1980 | 21,894 | 5,453 | 33.17% |
| 1970 | 16,441 | 4,492 | 37.59% |
| 1960 | 11,949 | 6,334 | 112.8% |
| 1950 | 5,615 | 1,363 | 32.06% |
| 1940 | 4,252 | -74,524 | -94.6% |